In the standard game of darts, the dart board is hung so that the bull's eye is 5 ft. 8 in. from the floor or at the eye-level of a six-foot man. The player must stand behind a line (officially called the oche), which is generally 7 ft. 9 in. from the surface of the board. Everyone throws their darts differently, but usually, the dart is held between the thumb and forefinger. Aiming is generally done at eye level. The throw is best done in one smooth action. Each player has three darts and will throw all three at each at each turn. The game of darts requires a fairly high level of skill, so don't worry, it may take awhile before your throws become accurate.

Let's take a look at how the dartboard is set up. Every dartboard is the same and is numbered from 1 - 20 in non-sequential order around the board. This arrangement has remained the same since the game of darts was invented.
The dartboard is split up into twenty separate sections that are each given a particular number. Hitting one of the larger areas (traditionally black and yellow), scores the point value for that section.

Hitting the thin outer portions of these sections (red and green) scores double the points value for that section. Hitting the thin inner areas (roughly halfway between the outer wire and the center of the dart board) scores triple the points value of that section.
The Bulls Eye is split into two sections, a green outer ring known as the "Outer Bulls Eye" scores 25 points, and the red inner circle, which is usually known as the "Bull Eye" or "Inner Bull Eye" and is worth 50 points.
If your dart hits outside the outer wire there is no score for that throw, the same is true if a dart fails to stay stuck in the board.

There are many variations in game of darts, but the most common is called 501, wherein each player is given a score of 501 points, with which to start. The point is to bring the individuals score down to zero, in as few trips to the line as possible. Each player throws their three darts in turn attempting to get the highest score possible. The highest possible score a player can get using three darts is 180, this is done by hitting the "triple twenty", three times in a row.
A player wins by throwing a dart into the double score area that will leave them exactly on zero. If they go to minus points or fail to hit a double with their last dart-they must wait for their next turn to try again and might not be the first out. There is no second prize in a game of darts.[Articles by Thom Gorman]